Estate Planning and Probate

“Our estate planning lawyers will tailor an estate plan that reflects your individual needs, values, and goals. If you have married, divorced, become a parent, or lost loved ones named in your current estate plan, it is time to update these important documents.”

— Attorney Robert E. McGarry

St. Paul-Minneapolis Estate Planning and Probate Lawyers

Helping You Plan for the Future

If you do not have an estate plan or if your plan has not been reviewed for many years, contact the attorneys of Collins, Buckley, Sauntry & Haugh, P.L.L.P., in St. Paul. We have been helping clients plan for the future for more than 40 years.

Estate Planning

More than just a will, an estate plan includes documents that state your preferences for your own end-of-life care. Certain estate planning tools can protect your assets while you are alive and control how they are distributed after your death. Estate plans can provide for the care of your loved ones, minimize inheritance tax on your heirs, and acknowledge the people and organizations you care about most.

Our estate planning and probate practice includes:

Estate planning

Guardianships and conservatorships

Probate and probate litigation

Wills and will contests

Trusts, including pet trusts

Elder law

Asset protection

Long-term care planning

Durable power of attorney

Health Care Directive (living will)

Business succession planning

Probating an Estate

Probate is the process of identifying and legally transferring a person’s belongings to another after he or she has died. It involves opening the estate, inventorying assets, paying final bills, filing final tax returns, transferring titles of real estate and other titled assets, and distributing assets to heirs according to the terms of a will or, if there is no will, according to state law.

If you have been named executor of a will, you may find the responsibilities of administering the estate of a loved one difficult and daunting. The role involves a certain amount of risk. The executor has a fiduciary responsibility to administer the estate correctly. Failure to do so can result in legal action against the executor. Because we are experienced in the probate process, you can rely on us to get the job done efficiently and cost effectively while protecting you from potential liability.

Will Contests and Probate Litigation

Clients appreciate that our attorneys are experienced litigators who can represent them in will contests and probate litigation. While we always work to achieve a fair settlement of disputed issues outside of court, we are unafraid to go to trial, where we have an impressive record of success.

To arrange a free initial consultation about estate planning, probate or related litigation, please contact the CBSH by email or call 651-227-0611. We represent clients in St. Paul, Minneapolis, the metro area, and throughout Minnesota.

Contact our experienced legal team about your concern by email or call at 651.227.0611.